Index



J.v H. RAND my w24,

INDEX Fuga April 24, 15520 il l OIF NORTH TONAWA, YON;

are.

INDEX Applioatlon led April 24, 1920. Serial No. 376,276.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that L JAMns H. RANn, citizen of the United IStates of America, and resident of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indexes, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an index of the so-called overlapping card, visible index type, and consists in the novel and im roved structures hereinafter described by which the A overlapping record cards or sheets are hinged to and mounted in the frame.

In the accompanyingv drawings which illustrate the invention,

Figure 1 is a front view of index embodying the invention;

Figu're 2 is a plan view of Fig. l; and

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scale.

The index frame l may be made of sheet metal in usual form with a flat back 2 and inturned danges 3 at each side forming with the back a pair of inwardly facing channels.

A series of card carriers are supported in the ame with their ends in the channels and slidable lengthwise thereof. Each card carrier is formed of sheet material which is suiiiciently stii to retain its folded shape and sufficiently resilient to permit it to be slightly bent and sprung into the channels of the frame. For this purpose I recommend a good quality of tough leather board, but other sheet material possessing the qualities mentioned may be used. Each carrler is folded to form a relatively long and narrow closed rear wall 4, which is disposed at the back a ainst the back 2 of the frame, a lip 5 bent orwardly and downwardly from the top of the rear wall and terminating in a straight edge approximately opposite the lower edge of the rear wall 4, and a lip 6 bent forwardly from the bottom of the rear wall at substantially right angles thereto and terminating just short of the free edge of the lip 5 so as to leave an opening or crack for the record card or sheet. Thus the carrier is substantially triangular in form with its base formed by the horizontal lip 6 which enga es the apex of the next adjacent carrier elow and obviates any tendency of the carriers to override one anpart of an l other when mounted one above another in the frame.

Each carrier supports a removable card or sheet 7 which has a rearwardly folded margin 8 held in the carrier withfits lower edge resting on the lip 6, while the body of the card extends outward through the opening between the free edges of the lips 5 and 6. The card -7 is creased along a line 9 substantially coincident with, or only a trifle below the free straight edge of the upper lip 5, to form a hinge on which the card 7 may be swung forwardly without bending the body of the card, or leaving the next underlying card in any part concealed. The straight edge of lip 5 determines the bend of the hinge and reinforces the part of the card above the hinge so that the hinge is always positionally fixed notwithstanding the card or sheet is Hexible.

By making the lip 5 of the same length or a trifle longer than the wall 4 it will project beyond the lip 6 without folding under it, and is thus in suitable position to receive the card. It is also preferable to have the width of the folded margin of the card less than the distance between the fold and hinge 9 because this provision assures the proper fitting of the card into the holder, and when the lower end of the card 7 is swung forwardly, the swinging movement is directed by the lip 5 to pivot on the hinge-9. If the lip 5 were made substantially shorter than the wall 4 (and the space between the fold and hinge 9 less than the width of margin 8) any outward pull upon the card 7 would be transmitted beyond hinge 9 and tend to pull the folded margin forward and out of its position in the holder.

I claim:

1. An index comprising a frame havin inwardly facing channels, a series of card carriers each formed of sheet material folded to form a relatively long and narrow closed wall disposed at the rear, a lip bent forwardly from the top of the rear wall, said lip extending diagonally of the channel and terminating in a straight edge, and a card projectin outward through said opening between t e lips, the body of the card bein creased alon a line substantiall)7 coinci ent with the ree straight edge of the pper lip to form a forwardly swinging in e.

2g An index, including a holder having a depending front lip and a transverse supportino' 11p, and a card for engagement 1n the holder having a fold formed therein to set olf a retaining margin for engagement with the supporting margin and lhaving a crease providing a inge and setting o an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion being substantially coextensive with the front li on the holder and the hinge lying below t e-edge of the lip when in place.

3. As an article of manufacture, an index card having a fold formed therein defining a retaining margin and having a crease parallel to but s aced from the fold a greater distance than the Width of the `re taining margin to form a hinge.

4'. An index comprisin fold formed therein defining a retaining margin and having a spaced parallel crease providing a hinge, the Width between fold and hinge being greater than the Width of the fold-defined margin, `and a holder for' the card embracing the margin and fold, and having an abutment forming a rest for the margin and a lip extending over the portion between fold and hinge to retain the card wit-hin the holder, said lip forming a bracing guide for bending of the card at the hinge.

Signed by me at North Tonawanda, N. Y., this 22d day of April, 1920.

JAMES H. RAND.

a card having a 

